Stranded
by DeepShadows2
Summary: SpinOff by EckoStalkerSummer at Lupin's house with ATV's let's just say Alexis can't stay off the motor vehicles and drags Artimis along and guess who has to save them. And Snape admits that their is bond between him and the girls.'Misfits' Realm.


**Stranded**  
**By:**_ EckoStalker_

Author's Note: This is a little summer splurge that I had to write while I was in camp. _{EckoStalker}_

* * *

"Drive. On one of _those_." Artimis stated incredulously.  
Alexis nodded cheerfully.  
"You have _got_ to be joking. They even _look_ dangerous!" Artimis said, circling the two dark blue four-wheelers. Alexis merely sat atop one, sitting casually and smirking. Artimis stopped in front of her and looked down at her small friend. "I know that smirk. Whatever it is your thinking, it's against the rules."  
Alexis sighed in exasperation and jumped off, wrapping her arm around Artimis's arm and leading her out of the garage. "Dear Artimis, when have we done something that isn't against the rules?"  
Artimis frowned, seeing her point, and looked sideways at Alexis, who grinned slyly. Artimis stopped and pulled Alexis around to face her. "Lupin finds out, we're dead. You first and more painfully, but still, we're both dead."  
Alexis rolled her eyes." Well duh. But one little ole ride won't kill him. And if we put them back just the way they are, he won't ever notice."  
"Them? I'm not driving one of those by myself! Brooms, I'm okay with... open sky, no obstacles... But those _things_? _And on the ground_!? Nuh uh. Not happening." Artimis commanded, knowing this conversation sounded really familiar.  
Alexis didn't seem to notice much. "Fine. You'll ride on the back with me. No big deal. Lupin taught me, he took me out on trails with him plenty of times. You keep the brooms. This is my specialty." Artimis sighed and slowly shook her head as Alexis gazed at her hopefully.  
"As long as you don't wreck it. I've seen those bloody boxes on wheels that you call cars. Those _'ATVs'_ don't look much different."  
Alexis bounced up and down excitedly. "Awesome! We can go tomorrow morning! Lupin has to go away on some business with Dumbledore and Snape, so we'll have most of the day to ourselves."  
"With _Snape_ again? Gosh, for two people who hate each other, they do work an awful lot together."  
"Dumbledore makes them. I think he gets a kick out of watching them argue like children."  
  
Lupin's voice rang out from inside the house, calling them to come inside. The girls quieted and quickly raced inside, skidding across the kitchen floor and bowling into Remus. He laughed and told them dinner was ready, and the two companions sat to eat. They ate in relative silence, now and then a certain look passing between them.  
Lupin watched them in confusion for a while, wondering what they were scheming this time. But he didn't ask, trusting Alexis to not acting rashly and Artimis to keep her in line if she did, but he knew Alexis had a good way of persuading people.  
After dinner and a nice pillow fight in the living room, Remus sent them to bed, still wondering what they were up to.  
-----------------------------  
  
"Well? Is he gone?"  
"I can't tell with you smothering me!"  
Alexis whispered harshly. They were on the second story floor near Alexis's room, both at the top of the stairs. Artimis was sprawled atop Alexis as they tried to peek under the railing at the grounds below. She quickly moved off and Alexis glared as she lowered herself enough to peek under. Remus was walking towards the stairs.  
Alexis jumped up and grabbed Artimis, dragging her to her room. "Pretend you're asleep!"  
Alexis flopped down on a sleeping bag, Artimis falling across her and chuckling as Alexis gasped for breath. They closed their eyes and steadied their breathing as Lupin peeked in the door.  
They heard him chuckle, and he quietly closed the door back. The listened intently as his footsteps tread down the stairs, across the hall, and the faint sound of the front door opening, then closing.  
Artimis jumped up and giggled as Alexis rolled to her knees and smiled. "Home free."  
  
Dressing into jean shorts, tank tops, and gym shoes, they rocketed down the stairs and Alexis rummaged through Lupin's study, finding keys hiding in a box behind a stack of books. They quietly glanced out the front door, seeing no sign of Lupin down the dusty dirt road that led out of the clearing in the woods where Lupin's home nestled.  
They sauntered up to the garage, Artimis pushing up the garage doors, and Alexis proceeded to prep one of the ATVs.  
Artimis spoke, "Hey, you forgot something."  
Alexis looked up as Artimis tossed her wand.  
"What for?"  
"Duh, emergencies. Think like a wizard. Sometimes it helps."  
Alexis smiled. "I'll remember that next time."  
With that, she casually shoved her wand in her back pocket of her jean shorts and jumped aboard the 4-wheeler, revving the engine and grinning. Artimis shook her head, and then carefully put her wand in a thin leather sling around her waist that she had made during the school year.  
She clumsily hopped on the back behind Alexis, smiling in anticipation.  
"Hold on tight." Alexis warned and smirked ahead at the waiting trail. As soon as Artimis had wrapped her arms around her friend's waist, Alexis jammed the handle forward and shot out at breakneck speed, sharply turning the corner around the house and heading down a back trail into the woods as Artimis yelled in shock when she almost lost her grip.  
"You know, you CAN slow down a bit! It wouldn't kill you to do so!" Artimis yelled above the rushing winds and lowering her head against Alexis's shoulder to keep the dust out of her eyes. Alexis laughed and yelled back," Where's the fun in that!?"  
Alexis merely sped up further. Artimis hollered something, but Alexis couldn't hear her over the insane howling of the winds and the deafening growling and whining of the engines. She saw a ridge up ahead and leaned down smirking. Artimis squeezed tighter, realizing Alexis's intent. They hit the ridge and rode over it, flying through the air for a few feet and landing with a thud, Alexis swerving to keep control of the vehicle and laughing insanely as Artimis whooped in joy. Unnoticed, Alexis's wand jostled out of her back pocket at the first jolt, falling to the dusty trail and rolling to a stop as the two girls sped off.  
-----------------------------  
  
The trees whipped past them, the gusts blowing their hair back as the girls smiled, faces flush from the insistent pounding of the wind. The droning of the ATV rising and falling in volume as Alexis raced over bumps and jumped over small ridges, keeping control with accurate precision. Artimis cautiously let go of Alexis and smiled as she flung her hands over her head, yelling in joy and the adrenaline rush. Alexis laughed and threw her head back, closing her eyes. Artimis, panicked at Alexis's daring, grabbed her waist again, making Alexis look back to the road, chuckling.  
"Don't get too cocky! You're good, but everyone screws up!" Artimis yelled in her ear to be heard.  
Alexis said laughingly, "Don't worry, I'm experienced in this! You should like where I'm taking us, Lupin showed me this place to!"  
Artimis quieted as Alexis turned down a side trail, the trees thinning out gradually and the hot sun shining through more clearly.  
  
Suddenly, they burst from the woods and into a huge clearing, towering, wide dirt mounds strewn everywhere along with numerous riding trails blazed from trips before. No trees obstructed the trails, most of the clearing made of hard packed clay, though spotted in areas with large patches of grass and loose soil.  
Alexis careened around a dirt mound and fishtailed crazily onto a winding path that weaved around and between the many hills of sand. Artimis was awed at what Muggles would do for a bout of adventure.  
Alexis laughed and did a doughnut, reversing their path and speeding up a lower mound. Artimis looked out over the clearing, the place looking like one of those arenas in the video games Alexis usually played. She let off the gas as they sailed down the mound, descending rapidly as Alexis swerved and bounced off the hill, spinning around at the bottom and heading for a ridge. They jumped off it, a little too high and landed on the ground, the ATV going up on two wheels for a second. Artimis gasped and clung. "Settle down damnit!"  
"Sorry! But wasn't that awesome!?" Alexis shouted as they raced into a slight, round depression. Artimis shook her head and ignored the comment. She had to admit, she was having a blast. "You've got to teach me how to drive one of these!"  
"When Lupin gets home. He's better at the teaching thing."  
They laughed as they circled the depression, then shot over the lip of it, heading for one of the biggest dirt hills.  
  
They almost stalled going up it, but they reached the top and increased their speed as they gazed out at the beautiful woods surrounding them. They slowed, riding across the top and Alexis increased as they reached the descent. They dived down, both instinctively leaning back as they sped faster and faster. A little worried, Artimis gestured to slow down. Alexis looked nervous also as she shook her head and stated loudly, "I can't! We'll flip over!"  
They clung to the four-wheeler as they hit bottom, both girls almost flying off it. Alexis lost control as the handles bucked, swerving them into a large nearby patch grass and soil.  
Alexis fought for control, not noticing the small fissure in the ground ahead of them. Alexis grabbed hold of the handlebars just as the front wheels spun over the fissure. Within the span of five seconds, the ground caved in beneath them, and the front wheels of the ATV jutted down as it fell into the old, unnoticed cavern below.  
The girls stared in terrified shock, but Alexis turned suddenly and pushed Artimis off the four-wheeler as they met with the darkness below, clouds of dust and dirt caving in upon them.-----------------------Lupin stopped in his tracks, looking about in confusion. Severus Snape also turned to glare at him. "Remus? What's the problem?"  
"I felt... I don't know... like someone is in trouble. Almost as if... Alexis was calling me." Remus said softly, contemplating the tug of desperate need and utmost urgency he had just felt.  
Snape cocked his head in perplexity and added sarcastically, "What, do you also have a mind link with her now?"  
Lupin frowned at him, ignoring his sneer. He felt uncomfortable, feeling an urge to return home. "Maybe I should go back home real quick and check on them to make sure..."  
"Come off it. We have business to return to. Ms. Whyte and Ms. Callabella are perfectly fine. Can't say as much about your house now that Whyte's living in it..." Snape commented. Turning to walk off. Lupin though momentarily saw a faint smile play across Severus's face in amusement.  
Remus pushed aside the urge with difficulty and followed Severus, though the feeling of unease remained with him for the remainder of the day.------------------------Artimis groaned and opened her eyes, wiping the dirt out of her face. She swallowed, trying to find out what had happened. She was laying face down a few feet from the upturned ATV, somewhere inside a small caved in pocket underground. She shifted to turn on her back, but cried out in pain. Her arm wrapped around her side as she bent over, rasping for breath. Artimis gingerly felt her side, sending stabbing pains through her abdomen as she located several cracked ribs. She whimpered and slowly sat up, leaning against the nearest dirt wall and closing her eyes as some of the pain and dizziness subsided. She looked around and didn't see Alexis anywhere. "Alexis?" she choked out, frantically looking throughout the sinkhole. No response. Artimis gingerly pulled herself up along the wall and stopped to let her dizziness pass before she shakily stepped towards the flipped ATV. She saw a small pack still strapped to the grill that was on the end. She stumbled up beside it and saw Alexis sprawled on the other side of the four-wheeler. She hadn't made it out from under the path of the falling vehicle.  
She was on her back, eyes closed, and one leg trapped under the seat and handlebars of the machine. Artimis gasped and made her way as fast as she could to her friend's side. Alexis moaned and moved her head, rasping harshly, "Artimis?' She swallowed also and tried to raise herself on an elbow, but fell back, tears brimming through closed eyelids.  
"Alexis! What's wrong?" Artimis spoke, grimacing as her head throbbed from her own voice, and she leaned over Alexis. She painfully opened her eyes and looked up in an unfocused gaze at Artimis. Artimis labouredly moved beside Alexis and tried to drag Alexis away from the ATV. Alexis cried out and bent over, clutching her leg. She murmured to herself. "Oi shiest! Blutig maschine... blod hugel... denken sie abgebrannt... Lupin'll toten mi..." Artimis looked to her fearfully. "Alexis, you're mumbling in German again."  
Artimis remembered the last time Alexis had used the rough dialect, after a fight with Pansy Parkinson. The Slytherin had pushed Alexis into a cauldron during double potions, causing the burning, boiling solution to spill onto Alexis. In intense pain, Alexis had fallen to the ground, growling under her breath in her 2nd language.  
Artimis grabbed her friend's shoulder, and Alexis looked up and gasped out in English. "My... ankle... I think its b...broken..." Alexis lay back again, holding back tears of pain as Artimis also sat back against the dirt wall, clutching her ribs.

She was at a loss for what to do. She knew she couldn't move the ATV off her friend, or pull her from underneath it for fear of hurting Alexis and herself further.  
Artimis looked to the pack on the four-wheeler and crawled over to un strap it. Inside were a small 1st aid kit, an emergency blanket, a small flashlight, and a few granola bars. Artimis opened the 1st aid kit hopefully, but everything in it was for minor injuries. Then she remembered her wand. "Alexis! I can get us out of here!" Alexis opened her eyes hopefully as Artimis untied her leather pouch and reached for her wand. She moaned and a look of sorrow overcame her features. Alexis choked out, "Artimis? You... okay?"  
Artimis pulled out two pieces of wood that were once her wand. "Oh, fuck! Broken... wait... you still have yours, don't you?"  
Alexis painfully sat up on one elbow, and searched her back pocket. Then her front pockets. Then frantically looking around. She gazed up at Artimis in panic. "It... it must've f, fallen out..."  
Artimis looked up into the sky almost fifteen feet above her in growing despair. Alexis whimpered and slowly lay back, her pain quite evident on her features. Artimis looked at her in worry, and then breathed in deeply, gasping at her own pain. She took the emergency blanket and ripped off a long strip. She carefully tied it around her side, and then braced herself as she cinched it tight. Crying out in pain, she sank further onto the wall, closing her eyes and breathing quick and shallow.  
"What's, wrong!? You... alright?" Alexis gasped out, looking up quickly in concern.  
"I'll be... fine. You... on the other hand, I'm not, so... sure about..." Artimis choked out between breaths.  
Alexis smiled weakly, and then grimaced as waves of pain radiated now and then up her leg. She bit her lip and remained silent as she lay prone.  
  
The light slowly dimmed as the sun gradually sank below the treetops, casting the sinkhole into cool shadows. Despite the cooling atmosphere, Alexis had a light sheen of sweat on her features and was much paler than usual. Artimis moved slowly behind Alexis and allowed her trapped friend to rest her head in her lap. Artimis looked up at the opening again, wishing desperately for Lupin to notice their absence soon and search for them. Artimis pulled out two of the granola bars and put one in Alexis's hand. Alexis put it aside and shook her head.  
"You need to eat something."  
"Not hungry... just tired..." Alexis spoke softly, almost dozing off.  
"No way. You bloody hell better stay awake." Artimis commanded, though she herself stifled a yawn with difficulty. Alexis smiled, and then winced; informing her friend, fear lacing her pained voice. "Artimis, I... I can't feel m, my foot..."  
Artimis was nervous, knowing that was not a good sign. She painfully rose up to her knees, and breathed steadily. "You're going to hate me for this... but you have no choice..."  
Alexis looked up at her, wide-eyed, but nodded in determination. Artimis found a piece of metal broken off from the ATV and took a slow deep breath, straining and placing it under the vehicle near Alexis's foot, raising the machine several inches. Artimis leaned back momentarily, holding her side with the slight exertion.  
She stooped down and grasped Alexis under the arms, lifting her slightly. Alexis gasped in pain once, otherwise remaining silent.  
Artimis spoke tenderly," Now, I'm going to pull you out on three, okay?" Alexis nodded nervously. On a second thought, Artimis took the small flashlight and stuck the rubber end in Alexis's mouth. "Bite down, it'll help."  
Alexis obeyed, shaking. Artimis put a cloth wrapped piece of wood in her own mouth also.  
Muffled, she counted," 1... 2... 3!"  
On three, Artimis yanked on Alexis, pulling her out from underneath the handlebars of the four-wheeler. Alexis closed her eyes tight and screamed, the sound muffled around the handle of the tool.  
  
Artimis let go and fell back, holding back her yells of pain as she bent double, holding her ribs. Alexis spit out the flashlight handle, several deep bite marks engraved in it.  
After a moment of whimpering and gasping, Alexis promptly passed out. Artimis sat up and leaned against the ATV, breathing shallowly. She opened her eyes and gazed in sorrow at her companion.  
She crawled gingerly to Alexis's side, and took the emergency blanket, tearing off two more strips of cloth. She studied Alexis's ankle. It was swollen and bloody, the white of the bone seen faintly under the skin. Artimis lifted her friend's ankle and wrapped it tightly, a moan escaping from the sleeping Alexis, who was drenched in sweat and trembling.  
After resting her aching ribs a moment, Artimis carefully moved Alexis to her lap and covered them both with the rest of the large blanket.  
The light faded rapidly in the sinkhole, the air almost chilly as Artimis cuddled with Alexis and painfully fell asleep.

----------------------Lupin appararted at his front door, Snape only a moment behind him. Lupin already knew something was out of place when he first stepped in the door. Snape was grumbling. "Don't know why you made me come. I wager they're perfectly fine. Probably off wrecking something..."  
Lupin scanned the living room and kitchen, the house deathly silent. Snape followed him upstairs and glanced in Alexis's room. It was in total disarray, the girls' pajamas strewn aside, sleeping bags and pillows empty and tossed across the room; not to mention Alexis's own belongings thrown on every available space. Lupin was getting more nervous as he quickly went downstairs, searching the other rooms. Severus stepped outside and meandered towards the garage. He stopped suddenly, noticing several clues, and hollered for Lupin.  
Remus raced outside and skidded to a halt. The garage door was flung up and the smaller of the two four-wheelers was missing. Without hesitation, Lupin jumped on the remaining, larger one and jammed the spare key in the ignition.  
"Get on. NOW." Remus commanded, to Severus's surprise. Severus glared and reluctantly settled himself behind Lupin. The DADA professor took out his wand and spoke,  
"Point Me." The wand jerked and Lupin spun off, following the direction of his wand towards a back trail he had used many times. Snape held on to Lupin for dear life, eyes wide as Lupin sped heedlessly down the rough trail. A little ways down the trail, his wand jerked downward and Lupin slowed the ATV. Hopping off momentarily, he noticed a long, smooth, Red Cedar and Oaken piece of wood and picked it up.  
"_Prior Incantantem."_ The found wand glowed at Lupin's spell, then a shadow of the last spell performed wisped into the air. It was the infamous modified yin and yang symbol. "Alexis..." Lupin said to himself, and ran back to the vehicle. "I know where they're going."  
Snape clutched Lupin's shoulders as the concerned werewolf pushed the ATV to its limits, driving them into a huge clearing of dirt mounds.  
"It would figure Alexis taking them here..." Severus grumbled to himself, searching intently through the hills and edges of the woods. Lupin's wand jerked on another direction, and Remus looked up hopefully through the rapidly dimming light. Nothing could be seen. He nimbly vaulted off the craft, trying to understand the directions given to him by his wand. Snape clumsily extracted himself in relief, conducting his own search in the opposite direction.  
  
Lupin stopped in perplexity as his wand jerked downwards beside one of the largest hills. Hesitantly he stepped forward, straining his eyes through the gloom. He sensed a life form somewhere ahead of him, but didn't see a soul. He took another step, and his foot extended into empty space. Shocked, Remus fell backwards, turning on his stomach and yelping as he slid down into the blackened hole.  
  
Severus spun at Lupin's yelps in time to see him disappear into a crevasse besides one of the largest damn dirt mounds he had ever seen. Snape scowled in disgust as he briskly stalked towards the sinkhole.---------------------------Lupin slid along the slightly inclined wall of the orifice for about fifteen feet, landing painfully on his feet and rolling forward. He hit something soft yet solid and it yielded to his weight. Lupin shook his head painfully and looked up as his eyes barely adjusted to the darkness. He heard a groan and quickly scooted back.  
"Damnit Alexis, get off me!... didn't know you were capable of movement yet..."  
"Artimis?" Lupin questioned in awe.  
He whispered quickly, "_Lumos_!" and light filled the cavern and spilled over the other two figures in the pit.  
"Ahhh! Who turned on the sun..." A second, smaller form murmured feverishly, turning her head away from the wand's illumination.  
"Alexis!?"  
Artimis leaned against the lost, flipped ATV and Alexis lay on her lap, both semiconscious and irrational. Artimis squinted and smiled faintly, slurring. "Hey Lupin! Nice of you to join us... Where's Sevvie?"  
Alexis rasped painfully, grimacing as she shifted. "Oh, shut it Arty... Lupin's off playing with Snape..."  
"They didn't invite us?? How mean!" Artimis slurred.  
"I feel so unloved.... What were they going to play?" Alexis said softly, snoring slightly.  
"Hide and go seek... I think... Sevvie's gonna win... cause he knows how to hide in shallows." Artimis said lowly, smiling insanely.  
"No fair. Hide and go seek. I love that game. Jerks. Lupin is an ass for not taking us...."  
"Well it's not Severy day that happens!" Artimis said in a deliriously happy high pitched voice.  
"Oh my God...... Severus!" Lupin hollered, crawling over to the pair. Snape poked his head in at the top of the sinkhole and stared down in awe. "How the bloody hell did... oh, why bother asking..."  
Lupin looked the two girls over in astonishment. Artimis had tied a strip of cloth tightly around her ribs -indicating maybe some fractures. Her head was also slightly bleeding. Alexis was pale and shaking, blood dripping from her own head wound and Lupin saw her lower left leg and ankle wrapped securely, though bloody and swollen twice its size. Both with a high probability of minor concussions from the fall.  
"Mind getting her off? My legs have gone numb... they're all tingly and stuff..." Artimis slurred, squinting at Lupin. He gently lifted Alexis, who had fallen asleep again, and she whimpered quietly. Artimis shakily pulled herself up; gasping and leaning heavily on the busted four-wheeler. Lupin looked up at Severus, and Severus shook his head in amazement, pulling his wand out to help the stranded girls and werewolf.--------------------

Severus situated himself on the large ATV first as Remus lifted Artimis to the back behind him. Artimis wavered, grimacing, and gingerly wrapped her arms around Snape's waist, laying her head against his back. Snape stiffened and glared, but Artimis just ignored him in her stupor. Lupin picked up Alexis from where he had set her and carefully handed her to the Potion's Master. She lay sleeping in his arms, her legs hanging to the side to favor her broken ankle. Lupin gently climbed on in the space in front of them and started the engines, slowly driving back along the trails to avoid jostling the two injured girls.  
  
Alexis opened her eyes and wearily looked up. She mumbled brokenly," Oh great... This must be another one of those dream thingies... then you won't mind talking to me..." Snape looked down at her in bewilderment as Alexis grimaced and continued ranting sleepily.  
"You know what I always wanted? A potato gun. Then you can trick people by shooting them... and secretly sticking tomatoes in it instead... they'd be all confused, thinking to get pelted by potatoes....... By the way... what is a tomato? Some say it's a vegetable... other loonies say it's a damn fruit....... I say, 'well why don't they make up their bloody minds?!'....."  
Snape looked up as Alexis muttered incoherently, and spoke quietly," Remus. She's having a conversation with me about tomatoes. I think that's a definite sign of delirium."  
Lupin looked behind his shoulder at Alexis in worry. Artimis lifted her head and gazed around, then set it on Severus's shoulder. "Tomatoes? Ewwwwwwwwwwww!!! They're all gushy and slimy..."  
Severus sighed and shook his head. "Lord have mercy..."  
  
They arrived at Lupin's place, and the werewolf got off quickly while Severus gently handed Alexis to him. She whimpered and curled into Lupin's cloaks. Severus then proceeded to try and exit the contraption, with Artimis still latched onto him. He growled under his breath and gently lifted Artimis, who mumbled sleepily. "Careful! I'm breakable, you big brute!..."  
The two Professors brought the girls to the living room and summoned two twin beds. They made them comfortable before patching them up, the whole event all too familiar and unsurprising to the two adults.

------------------------

Alexis awoke; warm, cozy, and strangely numb. She tried moving to leave her bed, but her feet wouldn't obey. She opened her eyes sleepily, wondering what happened. As she look down the bed, she noticed her left ankle and lower leg were wrapped tightly and supported upon several small pillows. Alexis's eyes widened. _Oh... that's what happened_.  
She looked up, noticing she was in Lupin's living room, then she glanced beside her. Artimis was awake and staring. Alexis started to say something, but Artimis put her finger to her lips, and gestured to the nearby kitchen. Alexis looked at her in confusion, then listened intently, hearing two men's' voices.  
  
"They could've died last night, Severus. And you said to forget it."  
"I did not say that. I merely assumed that they were fine. We had a job to do!"  
"I knew something was wrong, you always doubt me."  
"Well, I wonder why..."  
"Can't you ever put that behind you?"  
"Tis very difficult when one brings such things up, Remus."  
"As many times as we've worked together, you can't even trust my judgment once. It almost cost two lives."  
"It was not my fault!"  
"But you almost refused to aid me when I ask you come with to be on the safe side!"  
"Like I had known this had happened! They needed more discipline!"  
"More, Severus? Don't you think they have had enough issues and problems to deal with in this year _alone_?"  
"Of course. I meant..."  
"We're lucky they turned out _this_ way! Any more discipline than what we've given would have surely broken them. Think on that."  
"Listen, Remus. I understand the situation, but you are too soft at times. This could've been prevented had you..."  
"Had I what, Severus? Locked them up? They are young. I understand that they could've been more mature going about the stunt, but you have to comprehend the fact that these things will happen. And I can't protect them on my own."  
"I'm not ignorant, Remus. But next time greater precautions must be taken to prevent such accidents. And I cannot be around all the time to help pull them out of trouble!"  
"Well, like it or not Severus, you have been there for them as much as their real parents have. And I think they know it and expect some degree of protection from you."  
"As much as I hate to admit, I do agree with you to some degree, so are you happy? But I'm not going to allow them to take such bonds to their advantages. I think you should take a page out of my book for once."  
"I'll consider it, Severus."  
Then the voices stopped, and footsteps could be heard treading lightly towards the living room, Artimis and Alexis looked at each other as Snape and Lupin entered together, stopping in surprise when seeing them awake. Everyone was silent for a minute, and Alexis hated it.  
"Well... um... good afternoon?" she stuttered, smiling innocently. Remus smiled then walked to her side, kneeling down on her bed and hugging her tight. After a moment, he pushed her back, staring in her eyes. Alexis saw relief and a hint of disappointment. She frowned, and looked away. "I, I just w...wanted to s, show her..."  
Snape snickered and both Remus and Alexis glared at him, and he was shocked by the resemblance in their expressions. Alexis sighed at glanced at Artimis, who was glaring at her. "What!?" Alexis spoke.  
"Oh_ I_ won't wreck it... Lupin'll _never_ notice..."  
"Sush!" Alexis whispered, looking out the corner of her eye at Remus. She sighed once again." I'm sorry. I had no clue this would happen... it won't happen again... we can _promise_ that..."  
Lupin gave a small smile, then stood up. He looked at Snape, who had an expectant look in his eye. Remus shook his head minutely, then turned back to Alexis. "Alexis, I'm sorry too. But for your own safety, you're grounded for a while."  
Alexis looked up at him in silence for a moment, then smirked, looking down at her hands. Artimis looked at her in confusion. Alexis said to herself. "Whoa... that's new... thought'd I'd never hear that... Mom just always yelled at me... _cool_..."  
Alexis looked up suddenly when Artimis laughed, Snape had a smirk on his face also and Lupin looked a tad bit lost. "What did I say now?!"  
"Alexis hon, grounding is not supposed to be a good thing." Artimis laughed, then held her ribs tightly.  
"I know that! It's just that... well, I never had a... ah, you now..." Alexis stammered, looking down. Artimis smiled at her then looked up at the two professors. "So... how was your guys night?"  
"Don't worry, Miss Callabella. Your father was owled and informed. You will also probably be reprimanded." Snape snickered.  
Artimis frowned, then lay back in bed gently. "_Drats_..."  
It was Alexis's turn to snicker. She lay back also, getting comfortable, knowing she would be confined to the bed for the next day or so. "So Artimis, we can always try motorcycles next..." she spoke sarcastically.

Artimis looked at her like she was crazy. "You go ahead, and send me a postcard from St. Mungo's Hospital when you wake up."


End file.
